Bangladesh Feminist Archives

Nusaiba Tasfiat Islam

On May 3rd, a grand rally was organized by Hefazat-e-Islam at Suhrawardy Udyan where various announcements and speeches were given by their leaders, followed by a 12-point demand. Among these demands was one that seems irrational at first glance, yet calls for a much darker intent in the long run: the demolition of the interim government’s Reform Commission on Women’s Affairs and the cancellation of its report immediately.

Unfolding the Events One Step at a Time

While the essential purpose of this rally was their 4-point demand to withdraw political cases filed against their leaders and activists unfairly, the protests soon turned into a series of unreasonable calls under the banner of “protecting Islamic values” and moral policing, using women and gender diversity/inclusion issues as scapegoats.

A number of prominent voices from the group spoke, heads held high, not hesitating once while demanding regression of women’s rights.

Some of the statements included:

• Enayetullah Abbasi, a religious leader, said, “Religious sentiments were being hurt by the controversial women’s commission.”
• Mahmud Bin Hossain, a central member of Hefazat-e-Islam, stated, “Hefazat-e-Islam’s workers are ready to make the utmost sacrifice to prevent any activity against the Holy Quran. Today’s rally is proof of that. The recommendations of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission must be immediately cancelled.”
• Muhibullah said, “Anti-Islamic forces in the country are once again raising their heads. Recently, the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission submitted a report that goes against the Quran. Infamous feminists, funded by imperialist donors, have taken to the field to implement a Western agenda aimed at destroying our social and religious values, rules, traditions, and family structure.”

Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh, openly supported the demands of this organization, including demolishing the Women’s Affairs Reform Committee.

Their Ameer (Leader), Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, called upon the Chief Advisor to revoke the recommendations of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, asserting that some proposals contradict the Quran and Sunnah. He then further criticized the committee, stating that these proposals do not represent the nation’s 95 million mothers, emphasizing that the direction in which the commission aims to steer society is unacceptable.

Hasnat Abdullah, one of the main organizers of the National Citizen Party (NCP), was also present at this rally and urged the CA to address public concerns regarding the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission.

At this rally, Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the Daily Amar Desh, called to abandon what he termed “unnecessary reform commissions,” accusing them of wasting state resources and time.

All of these leaders and activists endorsed these actions by being present in speeches that aimed to undermine women’s rights in this country. And it did not seem to strike much of a chord with the public. Instead of condemning harmful behaviors like these, they applauded and openly supported them, as Hefazat-e-Islam vowed to erase any progression of women’s rights.

The Problem with the Commission’s Proposals: A Watered-Down Version

The Women’s Affairs Reform Commission was established by the Yunus-led interim government back in November 2024, with its main purpose being to ensure equal rights for women by restoring their dignity and respect in society and reducing discrimination. It is a parent department to the long-standing Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, led by veteran activist Shireen Huq.

On April 19, 2025, a report was submitted by the commission to Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus recommending necessary progressive reforms from the roots to tackle Bangladesh’s long-standing discriminatory practices against women.

While most of it sounded like the feminist blueprint for equality, taking consideration of the contextual religious society, it was coined radical. Some of the reforms include:

• Equal inheritance rights for women (which is currently halved under Islamic law)
• Banning polygamy
• Recognizing sex workers as laborers
• Challenging the uniform family unit
• Challenging religious legal frameworks that enforce gender discrimination in marriage, divorce, and alimony
• Using gender-inclusive language

Conservatism to Hatred: An Inevitable Pipeline

A broader audience was present for this protest; it wasn’t just some fringe gathering, it was mainstreamed misogyny. When their leaders brazenly spewed sexist rhetoric that contributes to real-world violence against women, we saw in real-time the evidence of it, as some protestors held cardboards and signboards scrawled with inflammatory, misogynistic remarks.

Slogans and words were cheered by men celebrating the call for cancellation of a commission made for women’s rights progression. The frequent use of slurs while shaming the women in the commission for daring to form such a body, with direct endorsement from Hefazat-e-Islam leaders, was prominent. They partook in disgracing these feminists too, calling them destructive for society and labeling them as whores or too Westernized, fueled by imperial donors, atheists, etc. Anyone with eyes and ears saw the vitriol they held during this rally. Their dehumanization of these women plays a bigger role in demonizing them to the public, because when religious leaders lead the way, crowds always follow.

The most vile acts included the public vilification of Shireen Huq, the head of the Women’s Commission, whose image was defaced with sandals and red crosses, blatant hate symbols of violence. This theatrical attempt at humiliation wasn’t just about her; it was a warning to every Bangladeshi woman: if they step out of the boundary set by these men, they will be next.

This type of behavior also mirrors global far-right tactics, for example, anti-abortion protests targeting doctors, or weaponizing public shame to silence women, or the Taliban shaming women for immodesty or speaking up against this type of governance by any violent means necessary.

They all follow the same playbook: conservatism followed by stripping away women’s rights, then violence when they resist.

The Storm After the Calm: Legal Notice Issued by 6 Women

After this sensational event in Suhrawardy Udyan, a legal notice was served to Hefazat leaders for their hateful, borderline abusive language against women, which consisted of amplifying misogynistic slurs, including repeatedly blasting the word “whore” through loudspeakers, against the women commissioners. Six women from different backgrounds issued this notice to deal with targeted, dangerous public humiliation and hate speech.

Such undisguised sexism, the notice emphasized, created a hostile environment for Bangladeshi women, especially professionals. The notice also sought an explanation within seven days as to why a defamation case would not be filed against Hefazat, and that legal action would be taken for defaming members of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission.

After this announcement, Hefazat issued an apology for using abusive language in a public meeting against members of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, expressing their sorrow regarding the matter.

The women later condemned their apology but criticized the organization’s statement on some of the issues mentioned in Hefazat-e-Islam’s press release.

While acknowledging some concerns that were brought up, such as the rejection of so-called “Western agendas or propaganda” regarding women’s rights and the dismissal of feminist advocacy as “radical”, they urged Hefazat-e-Islam to move beyond divisive rhetoric and engage in constructive dialogue. Emphasizing that gender equality is not a foreign concept but a universal principle, they called for open discussions, whether through formal talks or public debates, to address these issues directly rather than throw around hateful speeches. They stressed that women’s rights and dignity must be defined by women themselves, not by ideological framing.

Their statement concluded with a respectful appeal for Hefazat to reconsider its stance and recognize that equality strengthens, rather than threatens, societal values.

What Hefazat-e-Islam Really Wants: An Analyzed Conclusion

The rally was not the first time Hefazat directly attacked women’s rights. On April 20th, after a meeting, the leaders had already demanded the outright demolition of the Women’s Commission, alongside several other extremist demands (such as a ban on the Awami League), putting it in the same severity category as the others, without any communication with the commission beforehand. This was right after the commission had submitted their 318-page report on these reforms.

So when they want to be excused from legal battles, they switch their words to imply they want women to achieve equality too, but in a “moral” way. And that itself should speak volumes. They say they only demanded male oversight be included in the commission, or more “diverse religion-minded” women. This is an opinion, not a justification to abolish the entire commission.

And openly being affiliated with violent actions that degrade women only exposes their hypocrisy in claiming to protect them. Actions speak louder than words, and the blatant disrespect of a senior, respectable member of the committee, who has done so much for the progression of women’s rights in Bangladesh, is not something everyone should just move past.

Time and time again, their politics have involved the erasure of women’s rights. Unsurprisingly, their most active agenda has been to protest against any sort of progressive recommendation that leads to an equal society for all.

Being on the wrong side of history repeatedly should truly shed light on Hefazat-e-Islam and their actions as a group, their real motive for attacking the Women’s Commission, not for the sake of protecting women, but for the sake of controlling them.